Week 2 · The WorkHow you show up and what you produce.

Lesson 9 of 32

Your Attitude Is Just As Important As Your Skills

Technical skills get you the job, but your attitude determines your trajectory once you're in.

The Lesson

Skills eventually become outdated. A good attitude, however, only appreciates over time. People will always prefer working with someone pleasant and eager to learn over someone brilliant but difficult, because a good attitude multiplies what you can do with your skills. In the end, how you respond to setbacks, criticism, and change will always matter more than your baseline talent. Your attitude shapes how others perceive your contributions — the same work delivered with enthusiasm rather than resentment is evaluated entirely differently.

This isn't about fake positivity; it's about bringing constructive energy to your work. Someone who approaches challenges with curiosity instead of complaint creates ripple effects that extend far beyond their own tasks. The colleague everyone wants on their team isn't the one with the most talent, but the one whose approach makes the entire group better.

The Question

What do you tell yourself about why you react poorly to setbacks - and how might those "reasons" actually be excuses that keep you from developing the resilience others seem to have naturally?

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